Vegan Strongman Wins World Championship Qualifier

Bradie Crandall aka Vegan Hercules has taken a strongman win that has qualified him for the world championships.

The Delaware-based bioengineer competed at the East Coast Natural Strongman U105 kg (231 lb) championships and ended up with the win. Events included:

• Overhead Medley with a 245 lb (111 kg) axle, 265 lb (120 kg) log and 170 lb (77 kg) dumbbell. He came second.
• Maximum deadlift where he pulled 635 lbs (288 kg). He’s a great deadlifter and this took the win with more in reserve.
• Next he flipped a 700 lbs (318 kg) lorry tyre 6 times for the win.
• Penultimate event was a 100 foot course with a 675 lb (306 kg) yoke. Finishing in 20 seconds for the event win.
• Last was sandbag loading medley, 225 to 275 lbs (102 to 125kg), second by a tiny 0.07 margin.

To finish was the ‘pee cup’ event; Bradie was selected for a drug test which he passed, of course.

The win qualifies him for World’s Strongest Natural Man later this year in Ireland.

Dr Crandall has already made a fantastic transition to the ‘fun’ sport of strongman after national powerlifting titles. Before he competes for the World Title, the ‘Vegan Hercules’ has the Arnold Sports festival just days away.

“It means a lot to me to compete under that nickname and I wear it as a badge of honor” he says. “I get some flak for it online sometimes, but never from other competitors who I’m generally well respected by. It’s a nickname designed to get attention and force people to associate Herculean strength with veganism, a form of activism in itself.”

We’re eager to hear how he gets on, and will be bringing you the news.